General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: America Is Becoming a Bit More Liberal. That's Pretty Unusual Six Years Into a Democratic Presidency [View all]RainDog
(28,784 posts)imo. All presidents make mistakes or decisions that I think are not the right one.
But Obama has the legacy of health care legislation, when decades of Democrats were unable to make this happen - including Kennedy.
Obama has not followed the lead of Bush Jr., who told a reporter that, to be a great president, someone has to have a war - or to win a second term, a president has to start a war (this is something Maggie Thatcher took to heart too, btw.)
That he has been able to avoid many idiotic conflicts that have been the reasons the U.S. has been involved in so many stupid wars or "wars" because Congress doesn't declare them is a great testament to this president, considering how the right wing has hounded him since his first day in office, has tried to block every bit of legislation, has tried to pretend they offer something better - he has avoided all their petty bullshit without resorting to wagging the dog.
That, imo, is the example of a great leader.